5. Lower Patina Wall

ACCESS-

 ACCESS NOTICE - The North side of Kinsman Notch was the scene of a forest fire during Oct 2017.

Update 2019 -   Since the fire this entire area has seen extensive clean up and trail work by Jamie Cunningham and local climbers and most routes are climbable including all three pitches of Black Tourmaline.  The crags are all open now and expect to find lots of new growth ferns and small shrubs along the trail as nature takes care of the fire damage.  Jamie recommends folks bring in loppers (or hand clippers) and a small saw for any further trail and route maintenance. It also appears (to me) most bolts have been replaced...at least they all looked new to me on Lower Patina Wall in Sept 2019.

Home to at least a dozen climbs, including the "gem" Black Tourmaline (5.7+, 300 ft) the Lower Patina Wall is destined to become one of the "destination" crags at Kinsman. (OK, bad pun)

The area gets its name from the patina of chip-like flakes, similar to the veneer on some of the faces at Red Rocks.

NOTE: There is a new (2019) 8-bolt route between Black Tourmaline and Patina that is not even in the Sykes guidebook, don't get it confused with either climb!  There is also a little-climbed climb between Patina and "PowerHead" that climbs up thru the green moss-lichen.  This is SykoHead (5.7 R / X?)  More info in the guidebook (and see photo). Both can be TR-er from the "PowerHead" anchor.